No Fuss Bedtime
Bedtime can feel like the trickiest part of the day. You’re tired, the kids are tired, and somehow everything seems to take twice as long as it should. Over the years I’ve picked up a few little tricks that make evenings calmer, less stressful, and dare I say it… actually enjoyable.
The Buffer Zone
For younger children who don’t really understand time yet — especially if you’ve got more than one — a buffer zone can be a lifesaver. I usually give myself 30 minutes.
So if dinner is normally at 6, we eat at 5:30. Bath at 6:30? I start at 6. Bed at 7? We head up at 6:30. Why? Because without fail, there will be faffing: someone wants another bedtime story, someone else suddenly remembers the teddy they have to sleep with, another decides they need the toilet, or more water, or their blankets tucked just so. These requests almost always appear the second you say “bedtime.”
Instead of getting frustrated and watching the clock tick past bedtime, that half hour gets eaten up — and the children still end up in bed on time. The best part is they often feel like they’ve wrangled an extra half hour awake, so everyone wins. You can adjust the buffer depending on your child, but for me, working with hundreds of children, that 30 minutes is a golden rule.
2. Set The Ambience
After dinner, the whole house shifts into “evening mode.” Big lights off, lamps on, curtains drawn even if it’s still bright outside in summer. I make myself a cup of tea and even start throwing in a few yawns.
The idea is to set the mood you want your children to mirror. If I’m rushing, flustered and loud, they feed off that energy. But if I’m calmer, quieter, and creating that cosy, sleepy atmosphere, they pick up on it and settle down too.
3. Lower The Noise, Slowly
I never expect bedtime to be an instant switch from play mode to sleep. Instead, I think of it as winding a clock down. If I’m reading books, I make my voice softer with each one, almost like a lull. If they’re watching TV or listening to an audiobook, I nudge the volume down every ten minutes or so. Coupled with a few extra yawns, it’s like a slow glide into bedtime rather than a crash landing.
4. Keep Your Cool (And Compromise)
The minute you lose your temper, bedtime becomes ten times harder. Children pick up on it immediately, and suddenly you’ve got a battle on your hands. I’ve learned that compromise works better than clashing.
If I’ve got a child who just can’t settle and is bouncing off the walls, I get the timer out. “Ten minutes,” I say, and for those ten minutes they can go wild — run, jump, pillow fight, whatever they need to burn it out. When the timer goes, it’s back to calm with books. It feels fair to them, and I don’t end up shouting. And if I do feel my patience slipping, I tag someone else in so bedtime doesn’t spiral.
5. Turn It Into Play
Children live in the world of play, so why not make bedtime part of the game? If I need them upstairs, we race. If it’s bath time, I pretend they’ve booked a spa slot at a fancy hotel. My latest favourite is turning their room into a hotel where they “hire” books for the night. Suddenly what could have been nagging becomes fun, and they go along with it.
6. Be The Role Model
Here’s the truth: kids copy what you do, not what you say. If I’m telling them to brush their teeth but I’m just standing there scrolling my phone, they’re not inspired. But if you brush your teeth alongside them, wash your face, brush your hair, even show them how you use the toilet, they will watch and learn.
Children don’t learn these routines in a vacuum. They need to see you doing the things you want them to do. And when they see you modelling it, they’re far more likely to follow along..
Those are my golden nuggets. They’ve saved me from so many stressful evenings. With a bit of buffer time, a calm atmosphere, and a playful approach, bedtime doesn’t have to be a fight. In fact, it can be a lovely part of the day — a chance to slow down, connect, and send your little ones off to dreamland with smiles.
Sweet dreams!
Thanks for reading! If you have any questions or topics you would like us to discuss in future blogs please do send an email to nannyemmyquestions@gmail.com
